Sixty Dome Mosque is a Medieval Mosque in the brink of Sundarban Mangrove Forest . It is one of the best Structured Mosque situated in the Bagerhat district of Khulna division of Bangladesh . It is one of the Unique structured mosque where lots of circular and rectangular dome were build to make the roof of the Mosque . Name of the mosque is little confusing because there is actually 81 domes in the mosque . Some says the name comes from the no of pillar which supports the structure which is actually 60 . Some says that the bengali 7 (pronunciation : sath) becomes 60 (pronunciation : Shat) by the misspelling which is the no of rows in which this domes are arranged . Rather than this terracotta mosque , there is lots of other terracotta mosque within 5 km radious like Chunkhola Mosque , Nai gambuj Mosque , ek Gambuj Mosque , Singier Mosque , Bibibegni Mosque , Reja Khoda Mosque , Ran Bijaypur Mosque . For that reason Bagerhat city is called “The City of Mosque “. This Sixty dome Mosque has been enlisted in UNESCO’s World Heritage list in 1985 .
It was build by a independent sultan of sundarban named Khan Jahan ali . He integrated this area and planned a city named Khalifatabad . In this city he made lots of mosques , Lakes and roads for sustaining of his city and solving the drinking water problem . Just behind the Mosque there is a big Lake called the Gora Dighi . When you just enter from the Gate , after that in the both side of the road there is some graveyard of the preacher of this Mosque . That was also made under his kingdom . This Mosque was started building in 1442 and completed in 1459 . This rectangular mosque was the combination of Indian and turkey architecture . This mosques (mentioned previously) were scattered around 2.5 km (east – west ) and 5.6 km (North – south) . Historian think that in earlier time this building has been used as the administrator headquarter .
This mosque have been made by burned clay brick and fortified walls are like 5-7 feet wide . In the four corners of the Mosque there is four giant pillar . It has all total 81 domes in the roof , among them 4 are situated in four corner pillar and rest 77 are arranged in 7 rows where in each row there is 11 domes . Domes are arranged in the north south direction in 11 row . . In this rows the middle(6th) row have the rectangular domes . It only can be seen from outside but from inside , all arches looks similar . There is all total 11 arched doorway in the Eastern side and 7 each in the North – south direction of this mosque . In the western side also have some small door but have been closed for the prayer purpose . Inside this mosque there is all total 60 pillars which support this giant rectangular structure . Beside the wall there is beautiful terracotta art works just above the arched door and in the corner pillars .
Inside this mosque complex there is also Bagerhat Museum . Inside this museum you can see some old pottery , jewellery , tereacotta chain and divine statue of hindu and buddhist religion . There is a old wooden block where Islam’s sacred message was written . Inside the museum a big crocodile model was present which was actually , a skin of crocodile . This is a small museum but worth to visit .
Ticket Price :
This Mosque is opened from 8 AM to 5 PM . Ticket price for Bangladeshi Citizen is 20 taka . For SAARC countries it is 100 taka and 200 taka for other National . In this price Bagerhat Museum is also included .
How to reach ?
For International traveler , If you come by flight then set your destination at Dhaka Airport and from there by bus or boat reach Khulna or Bagerhat . From there by any local transport you can reach Sixty dome Mosque .
For people coming from India through Land Border crossing they must go through Benepole – petrapole land border . From there both buses and train available toward city Khula . From here you can easily reach to Sixty Dome Mosque .
Summary
This is one of oldest and UNESCO world heritage sites in Bangladesh . The mosque has all total 81 domes and made in the time of sultan Khan e jahan in medieval period . There are also lots of other mosques and Lakes made by him in this place . Now , inside the complex there is Bagerhat Museum which also cover in the same Sixty domes Mosque ticket .
